November Strike Action

Disruption continues to impact cargo flow creating unwelcome delays as the Holiday season approaches. Below are some of the key hot spots to be aware of in the coming weeks:

Port of Antwerp: A national strike has been announced in Belgium that will impact the Port of Antwerp's water and land cargo operations. The strike is scheduled for November 9-10th and may cause significant delays in cargo flow. Furthermore, Armistice Day - a national holiday in Belgium - takes places this Friday, which will create even more disruption for cargo flowing in and out of the port. We are working with our colleagues and carriers to mitigate delays as much as possible, but please plan for additional time if you have cargo moving through the Port of Antwerp. 

NZ Road Closure: As we reported back in August, New Zealand suffered severe rainfall and flooding which caused several road closures and shut down major highways. One of those highways SH 6 - the main route between Blenheim and Nelson - is now undergoing repairs and will be closed until December 18th until those repairs are finalized. As an alternative, traffic will be diverted through SH 63. 

Liverpool Strike: After just resuming operations from the previously scheduled strike, the Port of Liverpool has announced further strike action to take place from November 14-21st. As can be expected, some vessels are now omitting the port and some cargo is being diverted. Please be aware that significant delays could incur due to this strike action, and we recommend looking into alternative routes for cargo flow. 

Spain Truckers Strike: Just this morning we have been notified that a new independent truckers strike was announced in Spain beginning November 14th and lasting indefinitely. This is in protest of items in the new transport law that the truckers are saying are not being properly applied. We are monitoring this situation closely and taking preventative measures to divert cargo this week in order to avoid any potential delays.